Damascus LR Hunter with Spalted Red Bushwillow

Product Description for Damascus LR Hunter with Spalted Red Bushwillow

Maker: Stuart Smith, J.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 103328
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 4.50 in.
Cutting edge length: 3.90 in.
Total length: 9.30 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.02 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.19 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.17 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.07 in.
Item weight: 6.20 oz.
Shipment weight: 9.5 oz.
Blade: Damascus hand forged from 75Ni8 and 1075 carbon steels
Bolster: Bronze
Handle: Hand contoured, stabilized spalted red bushwillow
Sheath: Hand stitched and tooled leather sheath
Description: Getting to visit with bladesmith Stuart Smith is a real highlight of my trips to South Africa. Smith began making knives in 2000 after he took a class with Mastersmith Kevin Harvey. Stuart was immediately hooked and quite his job working as a salesman by 2004. Only a few years after that, in 2009, Stuart began teaching classes of his own. Among his many students is Neels van den Berg. Stuart has been very active over the years in the Southern African Bladesmiths Association (SABA) and the Knifemakers Guild of Southern Africa (KGSA). Stuart became a Journeyman Smith in June 2019.
The damascus blade was hand forged from 75Ni8 and 1075 carbon steels for excellent edge retention. A deep etch provides a high contrast that will have you staring at the pattern for hours. Stuart's J.S. mark is on the left side of the blade and his maker's mark is featured on the right.
The handle begins with a contoured phosphor bronze guard. It is meticulously fit to both blade and handle -- joints between materials are virtually impossible to detect. The handle is contoured from presentation grade spalted red bushwillow. This presentation grade wood has a dramatic mix of light brown and chocolate tones. A mixture of hand rubbed tung oil and Danish oil provides a silky smooth, timeless finish.
The knife is accompanied by a hand stitched and tooled leather sheath.
Exceptional work throughout!


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